Local film maker tests out crowd funding for new short film, “Aperture”

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Lethbridge film maker Blake Evernden is learning and relearning different skills for his new short film “Aperture” including starting his first crowd funding campaign.
“ I’ve never done crowd-funding before. I was always a little bit nervous about it, but a lot of friends have already supported it,” said Evernden who has been making short films and  full length features for15 years, including his most recent film “Prairie Dog.”

Blake Evernden is putting on a crowd funding campaign for his short film Aperture. Photo submitted
 In addition to relearning how to shoot on 16 mm film, he is also test driving  crowdfunding
According to Evernden’s Indiegogo page, which has already raised over $2,000 towards the $3,000 goal:
“Aperture is the story of an aspiring experimental filmmaker, Marcus Wilson, who captures what he believes is a murder through the lens of his 8mm camera. He quickly becomes obsessed with capturing this killer’s identity on film and his pursuit leads him through increasing surreal interpretations of urban deserts, towering industries, and darkened suburbs, all the while risking losing himself in his own film.”


He intended to start shooting the film next week, but decided to delay it until the new year because of  Covid restrictions.
“ We’ve been doing a lot of pre-production,” he said, adding the shoot will only take a couple of days in Lethbridge and Magrath, after which the footage will be sent to Toronto for final processing and returned by May ideally. The first $2,500 of the crowd funding is earmarked for film stock, development, shipping and 2 K transfer. The next $500 will cover transportation and food costs for the crew.

“I’d like to get the movie done earlier because I don’t want people to have to wait for their perks,” he continued.
 The film will  have a unique look as it will be shot on 16 mm film, though the footage shot by the protagonist,  Marcus Wilson trying to capture the “murderer” on film will be in 8 mm.

Evernden aptly plays the film maker, the lone cast member in the film, which also includes an all local crew.


“It is very much an educational experience. I can apply what I’m learning about crowd funding for this projectto future productions,” he said learning to raise money is an important part of the film-making process.
“I could apply crowd funding to  the next movie or just a part of it,” he said, adding crowd funding helps gauge support for the project.


He is excited to relearn shooting on 16 mm film.


“I haven’t done this for 15 years. But it really is like getting back on a bike, you suddenly remember how to do it. I’m used to shooting digitally now, where you can shoot as much footage as you want. You can’t shoot as much,” he said, estimating he needs four rolls of film which allows three takes of each shot.


“ It is going to look really different. We want to be able to make it as engaging, impressive and strange looking as we can,” Evernden said adding he is also going to incorporate some stunning new make-up skills and creating Matte paintings to expand the background.


“For the  Magrath scene, I’m creating a painting of grain elevators falling in on each other to give the impression of the world shaking and things collapsing,” he said.

https://igg.me/at/aperture-movie/x/3455938#/
https://www.facebook.com/aperturemovie
https://www.instagram.com/aperture_movie/

 — By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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